Great Green Inventions From The Past 10 Years

The popularity of the green movement seems to be growing and with so many people becoming involved, new inventions are consistently being developed to promote sustainable living. Some of these new inventions include the moss carpet, White Goat Machine, solar-powered backpacks, the NPower Peg and energy floors.

The moss carpet or the “Immaculate Mini Lawn in your Loo,” is a mat made of ball moss, island moss and forest moss that you can put in your bathroom to absorb humidity. It is a great alternative to your regular bathroom rug that is usually made of cotton, wool or other synthetic materials. It is more eco-friendly by not needing dyes, chemicals, large amounts of water or the use of pesticides or fertilizers that would normally be used to grow cotton.

The White Goat Machine transforms paper into toilet paper. It has been in development for years and will go on sale in Japan this coming summer (2014) for $100,000. It converts recycled paper into toilet paper by shredding it, dissolving it in water, thinning it out and then drying it and winding it into a roll. It saves 60 cedar trees per year.

Solar-powered backpacks are great for those who are outdoorsy, but still need to charge their devices for safety or productive reasons. The Eclipse Solar Backpack is one of the first to be made in the US. It contains multiple organizer pockets for smart phones, iPods and other accessories and a solar module that provides four watts of power. It also has a pocket that can fit laptop computers up to 17 inches.

If solar energy is not available, the next best thing is retaining energy generated by movement in order to charge your appliances. NPower Peg, created in 2010, is the first human power charger that uses the kinetic energy you create when walking, running, biking and more to charge smart phones and other devices. You do not have to rely on the weather to charge your appliance, just move.

Another great, fun invention that converts kinetic energy into electricity is Energy Floors (aka Sustainable Dance Club – SDC). It began its major use in eco-nightclubs where the energy acquired to power the clubs came from people dancing. In 2007, the Netherlands opened Club Watt (now closed) and in 2008 Britain opened its own, Club4Climate, where it created its own energy floor. The club contains a high-tech floor that generates energy when people move on it. In 2009, the idea spread to various areas, including Miami and Philadelphia, where Energy Floors were installed at museums. Today it is expanding to even more areas around the world, including 69 different cities in 18 countries on five continents.

People rely heavily on electricity and their appliances and although it is known that we should cut back on our use of electricity, sometimes it is easier said than done. Therefore, finding ways where people can still use these items and use other sources rather than coal-generated electricity is a step in the right direction to a cleaner earth. As Albert Einstein stated, “Energy cannot be created or destroyed, it can only be changed from one form to another.” We must find ways to convert different types of natural energy so that it may be used in other forms that will help cut down on greenhouse emissions.